Glutathione 1200 mg Injection Dose Safety Assessment
Critical Safety Concern: No Evidence for Injectable Glutathione at Any Dose
There is no established safe dose for injectable glutathione administration, including 1200 mg, as this route lacks validation in medical guidelines and high-quality research. 1
Evidence-Based Route Analysis
Intravenous Administration (The Only Studied Parenteral Route)
- For chronic fatty liver disease, intravenous glutathione at 1800 mg/day has been studied and showed improvement in liver function tests (bilirubin, GOT, GPT, GT) with effects persisting months after treatment cessation 2
- This represents the highest documented intravenous dose in published research, though it was studied specifically for hepatic conditions, not general use 2
Oral Administration Safety Data
- Oral glutathione has negligible systemic bioavailability - a single 3000 mg oral dose (0.15 mmol/kg in 70 kg adults) failed to increase plasma glutathione concentrations due to intestinal and hepatic gamma-glutamyltransferase hydrolysis 3
- S-Acetyl Glutathione (SAG), a more bioavailable oral form, demonstrated a NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) of 1500 mg/kg/day in 13-week toxicity studies, with no mortality, morbidity, or treatment-related pathology 4
- Oral L-Glutathione 250 mg daily for 12 weeks combined with L-Cystine proved safe and effective for skin lightening in 124 Asian women 5
Critical Gaps for Injectable Glutathione
Subcutaneous/Intramuscular Route Concerns
- No pharmacokinetic data exists for subcutaneous bioavailability of glutathione, creating unpredictable absorption and systemic effects 1
- Injection site reactions, tissue irritation, or abscess formation are potential risks without established formulations designed for subcutaneous use 1
- No sterile, pharmaceutical-grade formulations are validated for subcutaneous administration 1
Regulatory and Clinical Status
- Medical literature addresses glutathione only through oral, intravenous, and topical routes - subcutaneous or intramuscular administration is not discussed in any guideline or high-quality research 1
- The absence of guideline recommendations reflects lack of safety and efficacy data for injectable routes outside controlled IV administration
Alternative Evidence-Based Approach
N-Acetylcysteine as Glutathione Precursor
- For parenteral glutathione supplementation needs, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) 20-50 mg/kg/day may be considered as a validated glutathione precursor in pediatric parenteral nutrition 1
- NAC has established safety profiles and converts to glutathione intracellularly, avoiding the bioavailability issues of direct glutathione administration 1
Clinical Recommendation
Do not administer 1200 mg glutathione by injection (subcutaneous or intramuscular) due to absence of safety data, unknown pharmacokinetics, and lack of sterile formulations designed for this route. 1 If parenteral glutathione augmentation is clinically indicated, consider intravenous administration under medical supervision (documented up to 1800 mg/day for specific hepatic conditions) or N-acetylcysteine 20-50 mg/kg/day as a validated precursor. 1, 2